Kamakhya Temple to get two ropeways; tenders invited for railway station link

Guwahati, June 28: The Assam government has initiated the tendering process for the ambitious ropeway project connecting Kamakhya Railway Station to the Kamakhya Temple, marking a major step in Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s push to enhance ropeway infrastructure in the state.

Speaking to the press after visiting the revered temple on Saturday, Chief Minister Sarma said that significant progress had already been made on the project.

“Much work has already been done on the ropeway from Kamakhya Railway Station to Kamakhya Temple. There is also another ropeway project planned from Sonaram Field to the temple,” he said.

The ropeway from the railway station is expected to be completed first, followed by the Sonaram Field route. “The process took some time as we had to acquire land from the temple authorities. But things are now moving fast, and the project should be completed soon,” he added.

Chief Minister Sarma further revealed that feasibility studies are underway for several other ropeway projects in the state, including routes at Barak Bhuban Tirtha and Biswanath Umataloni.

“The Centre has shown great interest in expanding ropeway connectivity in the Northeast. These projects will boost tourism and provide better accessibility to some of the region’s key religious and cultural sites,” he said.

To be constructed at a cost of Rs 201 crore, the 1.43-km ropeway will directly connect the railway station to the Nilachal Hills, significantly easing access for pilgrims.

Once operational, it will reduce the travel time by 55–60% for visitors arriving by train. The ropeway will have a capacity to transport 1,000 passengers per hour in each direction, with a travel time of approximately seven minutes. The state government had earlier set June 2026 as the target for completion.

The National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML), tasked with the development of the ropeway, has already floated tenders for its design, construction, operation, and maintenance on June 24.

A senior government official had earlier informed The Assam Tribune that the project will also dramatically increase the open space around the temple—from the current 3,000 sq. feet to nearly 100,000 sq. feet—spread across three tiers.

The Kamakhya ropeway project is part of a broader effort by the state government to modernise transportation infrastructure while promoting religious and cultural tourism.